Barbados Royals scored 156/7 in 20 overs, where as Trinbago Knight Riders scored 159/8 in 19.5 overs.
So, finally Trinbago Knight Riders won by two wickets.
For the second consecutive game, the Trinbago Knight Riders edged out a thrilling run chase, securing a last-over, two-wicket victory against the Barbados Royals in Barbados.
Chasing a challenging target of 157, the match was filled with twists, and with six needed off the final two balls and only two wickets remaining, the game seemed to be slipping away from the visitors.
However, Jason Holder, enduring a tough outing, bowled a crucial waist-high full toss that was called a no-ball, reducing the equation to four runs needed off two deliveries.
Terrance Hinds then calmly smashed the resulting Free Hit over the sightscreen, sealing a dramatic victory.
It was a tense finish to a roller-coaster chase for TKR, who began poorly, losing both openers—Sunil Narine and Jason Roy—early to Maheesh Theekshana.
At a precarious 11/2, Nicholas Pooran launched a counterattack, scoring a brisk 35 off 23 balls to bring TKR back into the game before being dismissed thanks to a brilliant tactical move from the Royals.
Rovman Powell stuck with Keshav Maharaj’s left-arm spin against Pooran, exploiting the short leg-side boundary.
The plan succeeded, but in an unexpected way: Pooran’s mistimed shot was hauled back by Powell and Holder for a stunning relay catch at long-off.
Shaqkere Parris (35 off 40) struggled for fluency on the tricky surface, but his 44-run stand with Keacy Carty (32 off 21) put TKR back in the driver’s seat before both were dismissed against the run of play.
Theekshana broke the partnership, while Obed McCoy’s crafty off-cutter removed Carty.
Naveen-ul-Haq then delivered a crucial blow, dismissing Kieron Pollard, whose attempt at a big shot ended with an inside edge onto the stumps.
TKR seemed in deep trouble at that point, but Akeal Hosein’s 10-ball 20 reignited the chase.
His dismissal with two balls remaining appeared to hand the advantage back to the Royals, but Hinds delivered the final twist.
Earlier, Barbados Royals posted a competitive total, thanks to Rovman Powell’s well-constructed 59 off 38 balls.
Despite wickets tumbling around him, Powell’s calculated innings kept the Royals afloat.
Quinton de Kock provided an early burst with a 21-ball 39, but the Knight Riders’ spin trio—Narine (2-16), Hosein (2-29), and Waqar Salamkheil (3-13)—applied relentless pressure, stifling the middle order.
Powell timed his late assault perfectly, helping the Royals reach a fighting score, but in the end, it wasn’t quite enough to avoid their first defeat.
Leave a Reply